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Smalltember (Smallvember) begins with a return appearance by the Flop House's favorite (insomuch as a terrible asshole can be a favorite) Canadian energy drink magnate-turned-filmmaker, Frank D'angelo, and his latest cinematic leavings, The Joke Thief. Meanwhile, Stuart reveals his love for all things Stu, Dan gives a few minor script notes, and Elliott's Nicholas Cage has snakes on the brain. Show notes

Andy Warhol

Kansas is a born-and-raised-in-Hollywood writer and director. She wrote her first feature when she was only 15, and then went on to direct it for release at 17. The film, titled, B.C. Butcher, is a “pre-historic slasher” starring Kato Kaelin. B.C. Butcher was distributed by Troma Entertainment, and Kansas was inducted into the Troma Institute for Gifted Youth. Since then, she has directed 25 music videos for artists including Collapsing Scenery, Boyd Rice, Iggy Pop, and the Death Valley Girls. Aside from directing, Kansas also acts. She’s appeared in more than 30 projects, including the upcoming directorial debut of Glenn Danzig, and also Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. She also starred in a short film series called 'Curious Females', which premiered on Refinery29 in 2017.

The movie that Kansas has chosen to discuss on this week's episode is the 1968 freak-out fest by The Monkees called, Head. It's evident immediately that Kansas has a deep love for The Monkees and this film. She points out that The Monkees were very self aware in the film, as they comment on being "wind-up dolls" meant to distract people from the Vietnam war. She describes how her favorite films have a frenetic editing style, like Head, and also incorporate elements of "artistic non-fiction." Kansas covers some of her craziest experiences working on her own movies, like getting Kato Kaelin to appear in her film B.C. Butcher for free when she was only seventeen. Or like the time she called up Iggy Pop and asked if he'd be in a music video - and he said yes. If there's anything you should take away from this interview, it's that it never hurts to ask.

How right, but mostly how wrong, does Hollywood get it when it comes to capturing artists in film? Margaret Wappler asks these very questions of her esteemed panel. And this, the panel is comprised of LA Times staff writer Carolina Miranda, who covers visual arts, culture and architecture, media scholar and TV critic Sarah Kessler--filling in for her under-the-weather wife Karen Tongson--and Cal Arts professor and visual artist David P Earle, who is better known to Pop Rocket listeners as father to Silas and husband to our very own Margaret Wappler.

From Mike Leigh's Mr. Turner to Antonio Banderas's Golden Globe-nominated performance in Genius: Picasso, the crew highlights all the tired tropes Hollywood can’t resist when depicting artists. They’ll tell you about the films that get it right, and the films that get it deliciously wrong. Plus, why are all the portrayals of Andy Warhol on the big screen so...different? Was the real Andy Warhol more like Crispin Glover in The Doors or David Bowie in Julian Schnabel's Basquiat? Does Salma Hayek really do Frida justice? And which actress nails the stereotype of the insufferable, pretentious artist on the head? Join us as we try to suss out: is art about art art, or t-shirt at the giftshop bullshit?

All Abouts

Sarah is all about Valerie Solanas's SCUM Manifesto with forward by Michelle Tea.

Carolina is all about narco-novelas, in particular Netflix's Narcos: Mexico starring Diego Luna.

David is all about his algorithmically generated list of top songs of 2018 from Spotify.

Margaret is all about the 18th century period piece The Favourite, a feminist reimagining of Queen Anne's court starring Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, and Olivia Colman.

Did you know that you can now call and leave voicemails for the show? You can! If you want to comment on an episode, give us any feedback or just call to get advice from a panel member, the number is: (530) 237-4108

John Cale on The Velvet Underground, Andy Warhol, and his favorite hip-hop artist

Welsh musician and composer John Cale moved to New York during the mid 1960’s. Instantly becoming part of the experimental music scene, along with Lou Reed, he was one of the founding members of seminal band Velvet Underground. He left the band in 1968 and since then has released dozens of albums. One of his most successful albums Fragments of a Rainy Season, originally recorded live during his 1992 tour, has just been reissued.
This week, John tells Jesse about his time in Velvet Undergound, working as a producer for The Stooges and Patti Smith, and who his favorite hip-hop artist is.
You can find more information about the reissue of Fragments of a Rainy Seasonhere.

Photo:REP3.com

TJ Jagodowski and Dave Pasquesi on longform improv methods, their road to improv, and the

TJ Jagodowski and Dave Pasquesi are two of the most successful improv artists to ever exist. Both veterans of Chicago’s prestigious improv school Second City, they met in 2002 and had an instant connection that is very rare to find in an improv partner.
This week, Jesse sits down with the pair at the first ever Chicago Podcast Festival to discuss their improv methods, their road to longform improv, and why they never left Chicago, and why stand-up would be easier than improv

Photo: splitsinglemusic.com

New Music from Split Single

Solo Project of musician Jason Narducy who has played with everyone from Superchunk to Bob Mould. Here is his set from Bullseye live at the Chicago Podcast Festival.
Find more information and music here.

Danny Fields is a music manager and publicist who was instrumental in signing and promoting some of the biggest names in Punk Rock history.
This week, he and Jesse discuss his decision to leave the ivy league tract, his time in Andy Warhol’s Factory, and what it was like managing The Ramones.

Photo: Mark Coppola/Getty Images

Judith Light Talks Transparent, Jill Soloway, and LGBTQ Rights

Judith Light has had an almost 40 year acting career in which she’s played strong female characters on shows like One LIfe To Live and Who’s The Boss?. She is now continuing in this motif with her tenure on Broadway, winning two Tony Awards for her performances in the last 5 years, starring in a one woman show, and of course her groundbreaking performance in Transparent.
Judith sits down with guest correspondent Keith Powell to discuss her work on Transparent, the cast’s relationship with Jill Soloway, and the famous courtroom scene on One Life to LIve that launched her career.
You can watch Transparent on Amazon and find information about her one woman play here.

The Outshot: Nostalgia and Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some

Jesse talks about Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some as a reflection of the necessity for people to fall into spells of nostalgia, even if just for 90 minutes.